Alan Robert Rogowski, professionally known as Ole Anderson, was a notable American professional wrestler, booker, and promoter.
Following his stint in the U.S. Army, Rogowski made his professional wrestling debut in his native Minnesota in 1967, competing for the American Wrestling Association (AWA) under the ring names Al "the Rock" Rogowski or simply Rock Rogowski.
The following year, he debuted in the Carolinas-based Jim Crockett Promotions, adopting the ring name Ole Anderson and teaming with his "brother" Gene Anderson as the Minnesota Wrecking Crew.
Anderson's wrestling career continued with stints in the AWA and appearances with Championship Wrestling from Florida, before settling into wrestling primarily for Jim Crockett Promotions and Georgia Championship Wrestling in 1972.
By the mid-1980s, Anderson had become a part-owner and booker for Georgia Championship Wrestling, until it was acquired by Vince McMahon in 1984, known as "Black Saturday".
Anderson broke away to form his own promotion, Championship Wrestling from Georgia, which was later acquired by Jim Crockett Promotions in 1985.
Anderson spent the remainder of his career with Jim Crockett Promotions and its successor, World Championship Wrestling (WCW),where he formed a new iteration of the Minnesota Wrecking Crew with Arn Anderson, co-founded the influential stable The Four Horsemen, served as booker for WCW twice, and ran the WCW Power Plant.
He retired from the ring in 1990 and from the professional wrestling industry in 1994.
Anderson was known for his gruff, cantankerous demeanor and toughness, and is a key figure in the history of professional wrestling in Georgia and the Carolinas.
Throughout his career, he held over 40 championships, including eight reigns as National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Tag Team Champion (Mid-Atlantic version).
Anderson was inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame in 1994 and the NWA Hall of Fame in 2010.
